French police should be able to spy on suspects by remotely activating the camera, microphone and GPS of their phones and other devices, lawmakers agreed late on Wednesday, July 5. Part of a wider justice reform bill, the spying provision has been attacked by both the left and rights defenders as an authoritarian snoopers' charter, though Justice Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti insists it would affect only "dozens of cases a year."
And sensitive professions including doctors, journalists, lawyers, judges and MPs would not be legitimate targets.
